If some day the RR line is abandoned and the tracks removed, some sections of the ROW could be turned into ski hills.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
The meter by the silver box looks like it is for the traffic signal. The crossing signal is that green box by the gazebo. Looks like that meter is gone.
dubch87 Google Street View Saluda Google Street View Tryon
Google Street View Saluda
Russell must work for NS. I feel it is presumptuous to say never. Some of us (myself included) feel that this piece of track will be very useful as the rail scean develops. Very strategic piece of track that can not only be repaired but improved. The population in the Carolinas has been steadily rising and the BMW plant near Spartanburg is thriving. Coal is not yet dead and rail traffic is on the rise. Not to mention the fact that a detour was severely needed a few months back when the old fort route had a washout. If you say "never" do you have information that none of us are 'privi' to? Thanks in advance.
Jack Kertzie (Saluda fan)
Electroliner 1935 Has any train operated on this track this year?
No and never will.
[/quote]
zardoz In the image from the camera (so nicely offered for our viewing), I see that the rails have been paved over.
In the image from the camera (so nicely offered for our viewing), I see that the rails have been paved over.
csxnsNo and never will.
One may wonder why - I would opine that when built the line was crucial to the builder, but with mergers over time, the line is superflous. Clearly that's not what railfans want to hear.
Wikipedia says the line has been completely isolated - rails pulled, etc.
One of the original lines in my area - the Utica and Black River - had a center portion pulled up in the 1960's. The primary reason was taxes, however. That 14 miles added nothing to the bottom line, and the remaining industries could all be reached by other routes.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Electroliner 1935Has any train operated on this track this year?
Russell
Thanks for the camera. Wish I had been able to have ridden the 611 trip up the hill. My Dad had told me of riding a scheduled train on this route back in the 40's. Has any train operated on this track this year?
Hi Everyone,
It has been a while since I have posted anything, but wanted to post a link here for a new Streaming Youtube Webcam that I have installed for the City of Saluda, The Camera is installed on City Hall and has a clear view of town and just as importantly, a view of the crest in town of the actual Grade. You can also drag the bar in the bottom of the screen to go back in time up to (4) Hours. The camera is running 24X7, hope everyone enjoys. Comments on Youtube are purposely disabled. The link is below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBloQ2fHDJU
Thanks
What a fascinating look at the world 50 years ago.
Ed
BaltACD dubch87 Somebody found some 8mm film of the last passenger train up the Saluda Grade in 1968. https://www.facebook.com/matthew.lytle.56/videos/1793447414019245/ Surprised it was only a single unit to go upgrade.
dubch87 Somebody found some 8mm film of the last passenger train up the Saluda Grade in 1968. https://www.facebook.com/matthew.lytle.56/videos/1793447414019245/
https://www.facebook.com/matthew.lytle.56/videos/1793447414019245/
Surprised it was only a single unit to go upgrade.
Figure 60 tons per passenger car plus 120 for the locomotive. That's 300 tons at 20x4 #/ton to get up the hill = 24,000# of TE. No sweat for a four axle - even one geared for passenger service.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
dubch87Somebody found some 8mm film of the last passenger train up the Saluda Grade in 1968. https://www.facebook.com/matthew.lytle.56/videos/1793447414019245/
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Somebody found some 8mm film of the last passenger train up the Saluda Grade in 1968.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone, while I have not yet had time to collect my pictures from the Saluda Grade Walk in April of 2016, I have found pictures that I took of the track cut at mile marker 26 in East Flat Rock. I have seen many pictures of the cut at mile marker 45, and even visited that location. But, have few if any pictures of the East Flat Rock Location. This is located off of Zirconia Road behind the Church with a small Cemetary. The rail cars in the distance belong to Watco, who use the rails for storage. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
https://image.ibb.co/ed9EdR/IMG_1005.jpg https://image.ibb.co/bQkbsm/IMG_1006.jpg https://image.ibb.co/cfoqJR/IMG_1007.jpg https://image.ibb.co/ccZak6/IMG_1008.jpg https://image.ibb.co/h9jxyR/IMG_1009.jpg https://image.ibb.co/iezmsm/IMG_1010.jpg https://image.ibb.co/fP1XXm/IMG_1011.jpg
A Norfolk Southern MoW crew cleared the section between U.S. 176 (Trade St.) in Tryon and the washout at the Vaughan Creek fill in October. I didn't witness it, but later saw where it had been cleared at the Carson St. crossing. They've done this before in other sections. You can see an example in Google Map imagery where they cleared east of the Vaughan Creek washout to east of Ridge Rd. I guess it's cheaper just to clear a small section at a time and alternate years. They kept the entire right-of-way pretty well maintained up until 2014 when Blue Ridge Southern/WATCO bought the line between Asheville and Flat Rock.
What boggles my mind is that they still bother sixteen years later. Do they have to because of the fiber optic line sharing the right-of-way?On another note, the Saluda Historic Depot board attended the "Railroads and Regional Economic Development Conference 2017" in Asheville on Sept. 22. Supposedly the Great Smoky Mountains RR is interested in helping to get an Asheville-Hendersonville-Saluda tourist train going. I'm not saying it's going to happen, just quoting the article.
If anyone is really bored, here is a list of all the washouts I'm aware of along the W-Line between Zirconia and Landrum. Going west to east:
Welcome to the Forum and thanks for the report. By all means post pictures if not too much trouble, We would all enjoy seeing them,
Thank you for that description of the current appearance of the track.
By the way, for the benefit of any who do not know what a "branch" (as mentioned) is, it is not another track, but is a small watercourse.
Johnny
Hello Train Fans, this is my first posting on any site, and wanted to comment on my walk on the Saluda Grade in late April of 2016. I am in Saluda often, have a number of computer customers in the Area along with City Hall. My mom and I parked at the top of the Grade in Saluda on a Saturday Morning, walked the entire grade from town to Melrose and to the Big Washout below Melrose. While this is a steep grade for trains, we are both in great shape, and other than some worn out feet from all of the rocks on the ties, we had a great walk. While we did encounter some Kudzu before Melrose, it was mostly just a tripping hazard, no leaves, just vines and we were able to pass thru it at that time. Also, just before the Kudzu, a small branch is now running down the center of the rails for some distance. I did not know about the trestle that is about 1/3 of a mile before the washout, and we almost turned back due to the height. Came across several snakes, wild turkey and other smaller wild life. The runaway track at the bottom of the grade is completely grown over, and the tracks just disappear into the mountain and vegetation. The tracks were surprisingly free of vegetation otherwise, and crossing the Pacolet River was no problem. I was unable to figure out where the second runaway track once was. I can post some pictures if anyone is curious. The tracks are quite rusty, and the Wash Out is VERY serious, along with another washout that is about 2 miles down the grade from the crest in the town of Saluda. I can say with certainy, that some effort is still being made by Norfolk Southern to keep the right of way clear, noticed that one tree that was crossing one set of rails had been cut and pulled out of the way. I did see the timing section signs that are mentioned often. Any Electrical Signal Panels along the way have been vandalized and would take considerable effort to repair since they have been left open to the elements for some time. It took us about 4 hours for the whole walk, taking time for pictures along the way.
[quote user="mbinsewi"]
I'm sure everyone has seen this, if not, it's a great video. Like a training video by the Southern.
Coincidence Department -
Yesterday I picked up a copy of Classic Trains I had laying around and found it contained a story about a Southern wreck at Glenita.
The train? The Belmont...
My You Tube
dubch87 Local communities are starting another push for Rails to Trails. Their points are that it has been 15+ years since any rail activity and the line will likely never see traffic again, part of the line has already been sold, and NS is looking to downgrade or sell numerous lines in the coming years. Saluda discusses rails to trails project at commission meeting
Local communities are starting another push for Rails to Trails. Their points are that it has been 15+ years since any rail activity and the line will likely never see traffic again, part of the line has already been sold, and NS is looking to downgrade or sell numerous lines in the coming years.
Saluda discusses rails to trails project at commission meeting
Seems as if the Local Communities, and their Political entities are possibly asking for something they might regret at a later date ?
THe NS's "W" line seems to qualify as a candidate for Rail-Banking, and a Rails to Trails Project. It is definitely an Interstate facility.
For starters, Here is something to read: FTL: "...The Rails-to-Trails Act ("Trails Act") provides localities and nonprofits with a useful tool for transforming dormant rail rights-of-way (“ROWs”) into recreational trails. 16 USC § 1247(d).[1] The Act streamlines the legal complexity of trail conversion by providing a clear and systemic framework for the railroad to transfer ownership of the corridor to a third party sponsor organization (known as the “interim trail manager”). Only a ROW in the interstate, common carrier rail network (hereinafter, a “common carrier line”) [2] is eligible for trail conversion under the procedures of the Trails Act. 16 USC § 1247(d).[3] All railbanked ROWs are subject to reactivation for rail service,[4] so potential trail sponsors should consider this risk when drafting the railbanking agreement and investing in the trail corridor. Finally, railbanking is a voluntary transaction between the railroad and the trail manager—nothing in the statute obligates the railroad to negotiate or agree to railbanking.[5] However, because the Act allows railroads to shed property tax liability without foreclosing the possibility of future rail service along the corridor, it is often an attractive proposition for inactive common carrier lines...."
[First paragraph copied from the following linked site] "Stanford Environmental Law Journal (SELJ) "
"A Primer on Rails-to-Trails Conversions in the Eastern U.S"
@ https://journals.law.stanford.edu/stanford-environmental-law-journal-elj/blog/primer-rails-trails-conversions-eastern-us
Sections (1) and(2) of that same paragraph also bear some reading as well;Rails to Trails, is not the total resolution of their issues with the un-used "W" line, and adjacent properties... As the folks up in New York State found when trying to scoop up the ROW of The Adirondack Scenic.
As Mudchicken has warned, One MUST have to start at the very beginning with the Original Deeds, and how they spelled out the property rights of the original owners (and/or grantors) of the original railline.
I recall from some years back that the original(A&SRR) railroad ROW was subject of much rancor and 'political wrangling' in the established Legislatures of both N.C. and S.C. Not to mention the Corporate, intramural maneuvers during the original phases of construction of the Asheville& Spartanburg RR. The first train was in 1878 (4th of July).
Does anyone know when this industry at Inman Mills, SC ceased rail service? I read somewhere that the industry itself closed in 2001, but I can't find the date of closure for rail service.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/626844841855109727/
Railfan friends and I stopped at Saluda to see the tracks which are still there, but the crossing is bagged. It doesn't look that steep at the summit but you can see where it starts to go downhill. Saw pics of wrecks on the Grade, so it was wicked and I doubt if they will ever reopen it.
We also stopped to see Old Fort Loops and just missed a NS freight on the Loops. It was coming into the town when we arrived. NCTM is worth visiting, so we had an enjoyable time in NC, my first time in the state. also rode Great Smokies Scenic train.
Fifteen years ago today, the last regular service freight train ran up the Saluda Grade. The line has been railbanked/out-of-service since 2003. Norfolk Southern still maintains ownership of the line, and the line has not been officially abandoned. The company has stated in the past that it does not intend to abandon the line, but will continue to hold onto it should future traffic patterns warrant its reopening. While rumors of reopening have come and gone over the past fifteen years, there has been no indication that this will ever happen. Below is a timeline with links of the events that have occurred over the past fifteen years.
With its staggeringly steep grade, stringent operating procedures, and high operating costs, it’s a surprise that the Saluda Grade remained open as long as it did. With the unprecedented decline in coal volumes over the past few years, and with no other sources of revenue in the picture, the line appears to be in a position to never reopen.
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